Cold Formed Steel Framing Systems – April 29th 2015

an AIA Continuing Education Presentation sponsored by
Marino\Ware

Light gauge stud framing is a cheap alternative to structural steel, when applicable. A representative from Marino\Ware presented more capabilities which the office will consider for future designs. When designing, light gauge framing can be used to support walls, floors, and ceilings within the capacity of the studs or joists. Designing building structures with the light gauge framing would be most effective to earlier in the design. Light gauge studs can also be used for supplemental framing in lieu of structural steel if the conditions are adequate. Marino\Ware does provide services that can help select the framing systems, and the engineers at Marino\Ware can help with selection of the proper studs or joists.

Basic Electrified Door Hardware – March 16th 2015

In buildings with higher occupant loads, and to make security purposes more manageable, electrified door hardware is the ideal choice for the entry. There are three types of electric hardware which are battery operated, hardwired, and wireless. Battery operated doors are standalone doors, and do not communicate with the other doors in a building. These doors will need to be manually updated in the event of introducing a new user. In both hardwired and wireless types of hardware, there is real time data transfer, but for wireless there is a delay in communication at set intervals.

There are four basic components to every electrified door hardware, which are the power source (supply), load (lock), switch (card reader), and conductor (wires); plus an optional component of monitoring. The power source must be considered when implementing into a new facility. If designed properly, conduits can be hidden or installed during construction. If this is not thought through, the conduits will be visible while the building is in operation. The load can either be an electric strike (fail safe/fail secure*), exit device, lockset (fail safe/fail secure*), or a door control device. *Note: The coordination of fail safe and fail secure must be coordinated with both the security contractor and the hardware company. For an electric strike without power, fail safe defaults to an unlocked state and fail secure defaults to a locked state. For a lockset, fail safe is electronically locked and fail secure is electronically unlocked*. The switch can be controlled by a card reader, key pad, or key switch. For the event of an emergency, the egress controls needs to be coordinated with the building type and user operation to not have people trapped in egress corridors and stairwells. Conductors need to be coordinated with door frames and the other hardware components are selected to allow the wiring to be seamless and unnoticeable.

To make the selection of door hardware understood by all parties is to provide a description of the door operation and provide it in the specs. By providing a description, the hardware sets, egress/access sides, secure/non-secure sides, operation hours, egress conditions, and lockdown procedures can be coordinated by all trades.

Fire Joint Framing & Protections – July 28th, 2014

Fire rating is a significant part of every building design; there must be effective and adequate fire protection provided for every building occupant from hazards like heat, smoke, and fire. The specification of fire-resistant elements in a building can range from fire rated materials to foam/spray adhesives, and to studs and channels that allow an acceptable level of horizontal or vertical movement for greater stability in the midst of a fire emergency. These resources are given a Underwriters Laboratories (UL) rating, which evaluates the material’s performance on fire-related concerns, such as substrate movement, flame passage, thermal resistance, and air leakage.

During fires, compression and contraction occur throughout the heat-blasted areas of the building. Joint protection in these situations of building-wide adjustments is critical for fire protection. Gaps are implemented into the substrate and wall joints to give room for the contortion of floors, walls, and columns. The exposed joints between substrate and structure must be addressed for concerns such as aesthetics, smoke/heat transfer, and joint system fatigue. There are many solutions for joint protection: caulk, spray foam, or intumescent tapes are a few of available methods for joint sealing. Slotted stud walls allow horizontal/vertical movement, transferring loads from one fatigued structural support to another without leading to structural failure. All these and more are in place to keep occupants safe, preventing injury and saving many from the dangers of a fire emergency.

How to Keep your Hardware Code Compliant – May 16th 2014

Hardware specification is a process that is often overlooked due to priorities being placed on other design specifications. The hardware consultant provides the accountability necessary to avoid tragedies that could have been avoided with intelligent hardware specifications. Intelligent and proper does not necessarily mean more expensive; in fact, the right hardware can and will often save money in the longer run. Hardware must be appropriated for considerations such as fire and smoke, life safety, accessibility, door function, security, and energy – it is the job of the hardware consultant to provide the best hardware solution based on the needs of the project. Hardware must be specified to help contain fire and smoke from spreading throughout the building. Doors must be strategically placed with the appropriate hardware such as timed door openers, as well as exit and panic devices in case of emergencies. Hardware also has an impact on accessibility for those in wheelchairs or with special needs – specifying the right hardware can make a big difference in the comfort level of the disabled patient. Another consideration is door function: the right door can be the difference between an efficient space transition and an obstacle. There are security needs as well. Magnetic and electric card readers are a few of the many hardware sets available to be deployed for security. Energy efficiency not only promotes financial savings, but also protects the environment and is favorably disposed by the government. All of these hardware considerations help to create the best design possible, producing a high quality project with ample specifications for safety, efficiency, and stability.

In the past, resinous flooring systems were often pushed back to the rear side of the project, out of sight and out of mind. Advancements in resinous flooring systems in recent years have increased their popularity and usage to the point where these floor systems are being showcased in the front side of retail stores and public institutions. Installation of resinous flooring is accomplished by pretreating the substructure, creating an epoxy, urethane, or methycrylate mix, and pouring the mix onto the floor. The aesthetics of resinous flooring varies greatly with the composition of the mix: epoxy based systems have a crisp and shiny finish, while cementitious urethane based systems have a rough and dull finish. In terms of performance, resinous flooring is highly resistant to ground contaminants and has a high slip resistance rating, allowing it to be used even in chemically toxic programs. Although the initial installation costs are higher than the generic alternatives available, resinous flooring requires no maintenance and will eventually be more cost-efficient. With the development of hybrid systems such as a clean epoxy finish on top of a rough cementitious urethane mix, clients are now able to enjoy the best of both mix types. With the endless variety of design considerations and options for installation, resinous flooring has achieved success in high aesthetics, high performance, and high cost-efficiency through their seamless systems.

Advancements & Applications in Resinous Floors and Walls: The What, Why, and Where of Seamless Systems – March 18th, 2014

an AIA Continuing Education Presentation sponsored byStonhard

Floor systems provide the groundwork for a wide variety of architecture projects. Floor systems are highly customizable compositions materials that bond both mechanically and chemically, treating the ground to yield desirable qualities. Stonhard developed their resinous flooring line to offer floor finishes with unique qualities that fulfill several desired outcomes. The strengths of resinous flooring give architects and contractors a greater palette of available tools for design. Because of the high viscosity of the applied mix, resinous flooring can even be applied to vertical walls, making possible moments of smooth transition between the floor and the wall without inaccessible corners. Resinous finishes offer a lower life cycle cost and a lower maintenance cost than previously available finish flooring methods. Resinous flooring varies in composition; epoxy, urethane, methol methalates (MMA), polyester, and vinyl ester are a few of the chemical bases that can be customized to cater to the necessary levels of chemical/slip/break resistances. By changing the mechanical and chemical composition of the mix that is applied to the floor, resinous flooring can be catered to the design needs of a wide spectrum of programs, from light manufacturing and food processing to aquariums and museums, to stadium floors and libraries.

Door Security Solutions – January 10th, 2014

an AIA Continuing Education Presentation sponsored byASSA ABLOY

With the variance in site and purpose of architecture projects, all kinds of different openings and doors are requested to achieve the desired effect. Door security products have many variables to their design: specialized door types require access control, hardware, locks, and new methods of wiring. These variables and more are fine tuned to provide security while achieving the desired effect of the opening, in all building types. Using their Revit add-in, which analyzes and customizes doors and openings on the fly as well as making the appropriate changes to the door schedule, progress in the project can be achieved with efficiency and effectiveness.

Cement and Gypsum based Underlayment – January 8th, 2014

an AIA Continuing Education Presentation sponsored byMaxxon

Maxxon, formerly known as Gypcrete, is a top tier company dealing with underlayment solutions all over the world. Cement based underlayment is the most widely specified for its high strength and variability through polymer modification. Most often used in thin pours (up to about 3/8”), cement based underlayment is ideal for high-traffic situations like medical/health clinics, where the quickly drying underlayment will offer a quick and easy solution for flooring sitework. Gypsum based underlayment will fill areas deeper than its cement counterpart and will dry over a longer period of time. The two types of underlayment combined with other Maxxon products can achieve customization of flooring that will address the various needs of any architectural site.

Rolling Door Products: Design Types – July 16th, 2013

an AIA Continuing Education Presentation sponsored by the Overhead Door Company of the Meadowlands & NYC

Representatives from the Overhead Door Company were back again this Tuesday to present a variety of rolling doors. These doors cater to various needs and range from insulated to non insulated, fenestrated to non fenestrated, with some available in over 90+ finishes, including a powder guard finish. Available in steel and aluminum, the rolling doors come in standard sizes as well as custom-manufactured sizes that can act as fire doors, or even withstand wind loads(static) of up to 200psi.

Upward-Acting Commercial Sectional Door Systems – June 11th, 2013

an AIA Continuing Education Presentation sponsored by theOverhead Door Company of the Meadowlands & NYC

Representatives from the Overhead Door Corporation came to CCW Architects and showed a presentation concerning the importance of selecting the proper dock door and its impact on a project. The seminar focused on the application of sectional doors which helped us evaluate which style of door would be useful for thermal, budget, and aesthetic uses.
For more information about the Overhead Door Company of the Meadowlands & NYC please go to http://www.overhead-doors.com/

Vapor Barrier: Nuisance or Necessity? – June 4th, 2013

A representative from Stego Industries traveled to CCW Architects to explain the impact of moisture on a project. The seminar focused on two floor slab objectives- allowing the concrete to dry and keeping the concrete dry.
For more information about Stego Industries please go to http://www.stegoindustries.com/